Scenarios are known where a layered architecture is provided which allows for a separation of data storage from application logic in a communication network, in which the data is stored in a data backend system while application logic operating on such data resides on application front end entities of an application layer. Such layered architectures are referred to as Data Layered Architecture (DLA) hereinafter.
A reference implementation of such a DLA is the User Data Convergence (UDC) scenario of the Third Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) mobile communications network standard, Technical Specification (TS) 23.335 Version 11.0.0 available as of 28. Sep. 2012 and TS 22.101 Version 12.3.0 available as of 18. Dec. 2012. The UDC allows to store subscriber-specific data employing a data backend system operation from application logic in an application layer.
Using a DLA typically allows to provide a highly available and location-redundant data storage to the application front end entities; this may in turn simplify the design of applications executed on the application front end entities. Furthermore, the DLA typically simplifies the routing in a core network of the communication network. Any requesting node may be served by any application front end entity—independently of a particular data storage location.
Yet, reference implementations of the DLA may face certain restrictions and drawbacks. For example, a situation may occur where the data backend system and/or a connecting status becomes unavailable to a smaller or larger degree (failure condition). In such a failure condition, disturbances may occur in the communication network where data stored in the data backend system is not available or available only to a limited degree. Calls may fail, data communication may be disturbed, and services, e.g. a short message service (SMS), may be degraded.
Therefore, a need exists for a resilience mode of operation for a Data Layered Architecture, comprising a data backend system and an application layer, which allows to handle failure conditions where the data backend system becomes at least partly unavailable.